Protect
by smrt-cookie20
Summary: Shinn x Lunamaria oneshot. One kiss breaches the distance between friendship and love.


Another Shinnluna oneshot. The next chapter of my SEED highschool fic will be up shortly. Sorry for not updating sooner, I had major writers block.

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"You really loved her, didn't you?"

It was more of a statement rather than a question. Shinn shifted uncomfortably. Luna acknowledged this as affirmative to her question. She sighed.

It was the day after Meyrin passed away, and the two were together in Luna's empty room. She longed for his arms to encircle her once more. But now, all she saw in his eyes was bittersweet love. He might have been thinking of _her _instead of Luna all this time.

_**Luna's pov:**_

I was just a rebound, something that he chose to cling to before all, both mind and body, was lost. He never actually loved me. Once this war was over, he would eventually regain his sanity and let me go. I couldn't really blame him for using her, after Meyrin died; I had no one else to turn to.

But now, as I looked into his eyes, the crimson flames imprisoned my unsteadily beating heart, I yearned for him to deny my question, say it wasn't true.

_**Shinn's pov:**_

Did I really love Stellar? This wasn't the first time I had been asked. Thoughts flooded my head as I recall Athrun asking me the very same question while I was stuck in the brig. She was important to me, no doubt. My eyes started to water. Thinking about her sweet, innocent face reminded me too much of Mayu.

Mayu. I did my best to keep my emotions under control, but it was too much for me. Luna was the only one I could ever show my tears to. Why? Did I enjoy her pity? She always made me feel that I was always important to someone, and that I was needed. Nobody understood the fact that maybe I, Shinn Asuka, needed a little bit of love and attention like she did.

But now, I was the very one who took her love and affection away. Meyrin. She was the only family she had left. Yet still, she forgave me, and consoled me when _she _was the one that needed it most. And she never asked for anything in return. Is that why, when he stared into her sorrowful, mysterious indigo eyes, felt a twinge deep down that longed for her?

She had her back facing me, but now turned slowly so that I could see her face. Luna's eyes were weak, but she was still smiling.

Just one look at that broken smile brought tears to my eyes. It was heartbreaking to see her in this state, and even more because I was the one responsible. Is this the way Luna would be from now on? I shook my head. That won't happen. It can't happen.

_I can't lose you too!!_

What happened to me then, I can't really explain. It made me nervous, but at the same time calm. An urge to protect, but to also be protected. It hurt me to look at her even more than I thought of Stellar. Were my feelings for Luna deeper than I thought? I have to tell her right now how I feel. I could do it. She was sitting 10 inches from me.

I opened my mouth, but no words came out. Frustrated at myself, I grabbed her by the shoulders and turned to her to face me. Her eyes went wide, and her lips parted to say something, but I put a finger over her mouth.

_**Luna's pov:**_

Shinn and I had some kind of special connection, we could read each other's minds with one single look, but I had no idea what he was thinking now. His eyes were dark and brooding, and held some kind of determination in them. At a complete loss, not knowing what to do, I looked up at him, vexed, as tears spilled out of my eyes. Shinn's eyes did not change, but I could feel him tense.

**_Shinn's pov:_**

All thoughts disappeared from my head. I summoned up all the courage I could, and my lips came in contact with hers. I prayed that the feelings that I felt for her could all be transferred from me to Luna in this one sweet kiss.

**_Luna's pov:_**

I was taken aback, and sure I was blushing. Those warm lips of his seem to send me a message I was not able to decipher in his eyes earlier. I replied to him by kissing him back.

Why do I feel so sad? It's like….I was injected with Shinn's sorrow. Or some of it was passed over to me, so he didn't have to carry this burden all by himself. At the same time, my feelings were divided as well.

It was just a kiss, but to us, it meant so much more than that. I think that was when we both realized how much we meant to each other.

"_Luna, I will protect you."_

"_I'll protect you too."_

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Well, what do you think? I wish this story would clear up all the rumors of shinnluna being a rebound couple, but it probably wont anyway. Please Review 3


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